The invention relates to a locking device.
Such a locking device has a first locking part, comprising a casing and a blocking piece arranged on the casing, a second locking part, comprising a spring lock element which is formed spring-elastic at least in sections, and magnetic means, which act between the blocking piece of the first locking part and the second locking part and cause a magnetic force between the blocking piece of the first locking part and the second locking part. To close the locking device, the first locking part is attached in a closing direction onto the second locking part, wherein the closing process, due to the magnetic force of the magnetic means between the blocking piece of the first locking part and the second locking part, is assisted magnetically. In a closing position, then, the blocking piece and the spring lock element engage with each other, so that the locking part is locked counter to the closing direction against the second locking part. The blocking piece and the spring lock element, thus, in the closing position form a positive lock counter to the closing direction, so that the blocking piece in the closing position is held lockingly on the spring lock element. To release the locking device, the spring lock element is slid in an opening direction essentially directed across to the closing direction relative to the blocking piece, to, in this manner, disengage the spring lock element and the blocking piece.
In such a locking device, as it is known for example from the WO 2009/092368 A2, the closing takes place in a magnetically assisted manner, in that attaching the first locking part onto the second locking part and lockingly engaging the blocking piece with the spring lock element is assisted magnetically. To lock the locking device the first locking part is attached in the closing direction onto the second locking part and thus a locking engagement between the blocking piece and the spring lock element is established. To open, the spring lock element is moved by moving the second locking part or at least a part of the second locking part in the opening direction essentially across to the closing direction approximatively straight, so that in this manner the blocking piece disengages from the spring lock element and the first locking part can be removed from the second locking part.
A locking device of this kind can be employed in various ways to connect two components to each other, wherein one of the components is connected to the first locking part and the other one of the components is connected to the second locking part and, via the engaging lock of the locking parts with each other, the components are coupled with each other in a secure, detachable manner.
Locking devices of this kind in their closing position provide a secure, enduring connection of two parts to each other and can be closed in a simple manner and can be reopened in a haptically pleasant manner. The possible applications of such locking devices extend to devices of a general kind for the (detachable) connection of two components, such as locks of bags, flaps or covers, connecting devices for straps or cords or also entirely different components.
In the locking device of the WO 2009/092368 A2 the blocking piece of the first locking part projects from the casing of the first locking part to be able to establish an engagement of the blocking piece of the first locking part with the spring lock element of the second locking part, but it can, thus, be unattractive and obstructive in the opened locking device.